Shifting Global Patent Landscape — Comprehensive Analysis of 2025–2026 Patent Trends

Invisible technological boundaries are drawn in research institutes. [Image = AI-generated image] Amid global patent applications hitting all-time highs, patent competition in the AI semiconductor sector is intensifying. [As of 2026] South Korea's January Patent Applications Hit All-Time High — A New Phase Led by AI 2026 is off to a hot start. According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), domestic intellectual property filings in January 2026 totaled 56,458, representing an increase of about 39% compared to 40,679 in January of the previous year, marking the largest scale ever recorded for the month of January. By right type, patents increased by 45.2% year-on-year to 23,365, trademarks rose 39.5% to 28,085, designs grew 10.9% to 4,773, and utility models increased 50.6% to 235. KIPO stated that this sharp surge is interpreted as a trend extending beyond a mere base effect…